symbiont

noun

sym·bi·ont | \ˈsim-bē-ˌänt

Definition of symbiont

: an organism living in symbiosis especially : the smaller member of a symbiotic pair

Examples of symbiont in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In other words, can humans cultivate a better terrain for their symbionts? — Jason Pontin, WIRED, "The 19th-Century Crank Who Tried to Tell Us About the Microbiome," 15 June 2018 When stressed by heat these symbionts start producing dangerous oxidants. — The Economist, "Mass die-offs are driving efforts to create hardier corals," 15 Mar. 2018 Bassler’s first foray into quorum sensing involved Vibrio fischeri, a symbiont that lives inside deep ocean animals. — Jeffrey Marlow, WIRED, "The Secret Languages of Microbes," 5 June 2013

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'symbiont.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.